TAOISMComparative Religions

FOUNDER Lao Tzu – born about 604

B.C.E. Met Confucius who

labeled Lao a dragon Enigmatic Larger than life Mysterious

Lao supposedly became upset with the attitudes of the people and climbed on a water buffalo and headed west

On this westward journey he was stopped and was asked to write down his beliefs for civilization Three days he wrote He produced the Tao Te

Ching – The Way and Its Power (aka the Taoist Bible)

Most scholars don’t believe Lao himself wrote the whole thing

They do agree that one man’s thoughts inspired the whole thing

THREE MEANINGS OF TAO Tao is the way of ultimate reality

Too vast for reason to fathom It is the womb from which all life springs and to

which it returns Tao is the way of the universe

The norm The rhythm The driving power of nature It is spirit instead of matter

It can’t be exhausted The more it’s drawn upon, the more it flows

Tao is the way of human life It meshes with the Tao of the universe

THREE APPROACHES TO POWER AND THE TAOISMS THAT FOLLOW Philosophical Taoism Vitalizing Taoism Religious Taoism All three of the above are different, but

seek to maximize the Tao’s meaning of te Summarizing the three together:

P.T. begins whith interest in how life’s normal allotment of ch’i can best be used. This leads to how ch’i can be increased (V.T.). Finally, gathering the cosmic energy of Tao is handled in R.T.

See these three as currents in a common river

PHILOSOPHICAL TAOISM Reflective Self-help oriented Teachers are really coaches training

students in what they should understand An attitude to life Has the most to say to the world Called “School Taoism” in China

Lao Tzu Chuang Tzu Tao Te Ching

Knowledge is sought P. T. want knowledge that empowers (aka

wisdom) P.T. want to live in a way that conserves

energy by not expending it in useless ways Avoid friction and conflict Center on Wu Wei – pure effectiveness

Main objective is to align one’s daily life to the Tao Ride its boundless tide and delight in its flow Find Creative Quietude – the balance between

supreme activity and supreme relaxation

VITALIZING TAOISM Called Taoist Adepts

Wanted to increase the Tao at their disposalCenter on Ch’i – vital energy (breath)Main objective is to remove objects that

reduce the flow of ch’i Energy is the life force and these Taoists

love life!

Concentrate on three things to maximize ch’i Matter Movement Their minds

Ch’i is taken in it’s matter forms (liquid, gas, solid) through movements like t’ai-chi chuan. The mind increases ch’i through meditation. The meditation

resembles raja yoga “To the mind that is still,

the whole universe surrenders.”

RELIGIOUS TAOISM Religious Taoism

institutionalized the shamans, psychics, faith healers, and soothsayers of the day.

Taoist church was founded in the 2nd century C.E.

The Taoist priesthood made cosmic life-power available for ordinary villagers

The church and it’s line of succession continues today in Taiwan

NATURAL ELEMENTS Water impressed the

Taoists the most. Unobtrusive Adaptive Assumes the shape of its

containers Seeks out the lowest

places Subdues what is hard and

brittle Carves canyons from

granite Erodes hills

Wisdom of water (wu wei) “Muddy water let stand

still will clear”

HUMILITY Taoists value humility. They honor

HunchbacksCripples

They point out the value ofCupsWindowsDoorways

NATURALISM Taoists believe nature

should not be exploited and abused, any more than people should be

Nature should be befriended, not conquered.

Humans are at their best when they are in harmony with their surroundings

Man is often seen as climbing with their bundles, riding a buffalo, or poling a boat The human self with its

journey The hill to climb The burden to carry But surrounded by the beauty

of nature

IDENTITY WITH OPPOSITES Yin/yang

Polar opposites Day – night Life – death Male – female

On cannot survive without the other

The two meet, mesh, but remain separate

CHINESE CHARACTER Chinese Character is best represented

by the two poles of Confucianism and Taoism Confucianism Taoism

Character Classical RomanticBehavior Calculated Spontaneity/

Naturalness

Focus Human Connects the human to what transcends it

Boundaries Confucius roams within Society

Lao Tzu wanders beyond